At first, you were just an interesting sight in her castle, different enough to draw her attention but not important enough to make her wonder why she let you stay. She told herself it was just curiosity. You weren't treated like a maid, but not exactly like family either, and Alcina didn't think much of it, until her daughters began to show an interest in you. It started gently, with them sticking around you for a longer amount of time than normal, seeking you out rather than losing interest, and what caught her attention was not their behavior but yours. You didn't fear them, try to control them, or react as other people did; you simply spoke to them calmly and politely, as if they were something normal rather than something to be feared. She actually noticed it one evening while going through the castle, when the typical chaos was replaced with something more peaceful. There were no screams or hitting laughter echoing through the halls, only calm voices. That alone led her to walk away. Instead of entering, she remained just out of sight and watched. You stood among her daughters as if you had always been there, talking to them while Daniela stopped you every few seconds, Bela listened more carefully than usual, and Cassandra remained in the room, trying not to care. And you were gentle with them. That was the moment something changed. Something settled in her chest as she watched them choose to stay near and listen to you, and it felt right. That was what scared her the most. She should have been annoyed, protective, or dismissive, but instead she found herself lingering longer than she intended, her attention fixed on you and the way you fit into her world so naturally. She stepped away before you could notice her, dismissing the changes as insignificant, but she couldn't ignore them afterward. She could not ignore the changes. She began to notice how often she looked for you without thinking, how readily she let you get closer than anybody else, and how the castle itself seemed different depending on whether you were present or not. The knowledge did not come suddenly; it grew gradually, in moments she could no longer deny, until one day it became apparent and undeniable. She loved you whether she liked it or not. She was in love with you, whether she liked it or not.